Council ramps up security at Cato Park with new LED lights

Cato Park will become a much safer destination for residents at night when a $100,000 state government grant goes towards the installment of new LED lights.

Northern Grampians Shire Council will install the lights around the park’s popular lake, after a $102,453 contribution from the state government’s Community Crime Prevention Program.

The LED lighting will be placed at strategic intervals to deliver increased public safety and decrease the chance of crime in the area.

Northern Grampians Shire Councillor Karen Hyslop said the new lighting would only serve to enhance the appeal of one of Stawell’s most popular natural assets.

“Cato Park Lake is an extremely popular place to visit for both local and tourists alike,” she said.

“You only have to look at the number of users who have been out walking around the lake or enjoying the park over the past few months to recognise its popularity and the fact that this project is going to have major benefits for the Northern Grampians Shire community at large.

“We want people to be able to use areas like Cato Park for exercise and recreation, and they have every right to feel safe while doing so.

“By installing increased lighting, we are delivering increased levels of safety, as well as providing a deterrent against crime.”

The Cato Park toilet block was one of three targeted in a spate of graffiti attacks in June last year.

Cr Hyslop said the council understood resident’s feelings of safety and security were key to creating a more livable community.

“This is why we are very thankful to the Victorian government for this funding as part of the Community Crime Prevention Program,” she said.

Northern Grampians Shire Council is seeking feedback from the public about how safe you feel in the area as part of the project.

Residents can have their say via a short survey on the Northern Grampians Shire Council website.